Understanding Cultural Identity and Intellectual Heritage

The speaker shares their journey from Russia to the US, growing up in a Russian community in Boston, and the challenges of integrating into American society. They reflect on their cultural identity, the rich intellectual world of their parents, and how returning to Russia helped them understand their heritage. The speaker also discusses academic influences, particularly the impact of Russian intellectuals in America, and how these experiences shaped their writing and understanding of both cultures.

Where did the narrator's family settle after moving from Russia?

• Brighton

• Brookline

• Newton

• Concord

What was the profession of the narrator's mother in Russia?

• Teacher

• Doctor

• Literary Critic

• Engineer

What did the narrator find confusing about their upbringing?

• The language barrier

• The contrast between Russian and American cultures

• The lack of Russian community

• The American education system

At what age did the narrator start visiting Russia to understand their cultural roots?

• In their late 20s

• In their 30s

• In their teens

• In their early 20s

What was the narrator's major in college?

• Russian Literature

• American History

• English Literature

• Russia in America

Who was the editor of the Partisan Review mentioned by the narrator?

• Ivan Greenberg

• Philip Rove

• Irving Howe

• Saul Bellow

Which famous writer did the narrator write their thesis on?

• Leo Tolstoy

• T.S. Eliot

• Fyodor Dostoevsky

• Ernest Hemingway

What did the narrator discover about first-generation Russian immigrants in America?

• They all returned to Russia

• They were mostly artists

• They had similar experiences to the narrator

• They were not interested in American culture

Which two intellectuals are mentioned as influences on the narrator's understanding of American life?

• Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky

• T.S. Eliot and Ernest Hemingway

• Irving Howe and Saul Bellow

• Philip Rove and Ivan Greenberg

What is the main theme of the narrator's book?

• American politics

• Modern technology

• Russian history

• Cultural identity and intellectual heritage